Albert DeSalvo
Albert Henry DeSalvo (September 3, 1931 – November 25, 1973) was an American murderer, rapist, and serial killer in Boston who purportedly confessed to being the "Boston Strangler", the murderer of thirteen women in the Boston area from 1962 to 1964. In 1967, DeSalvo was imprisoned for life for committing a series of rapes; however, his murder confession has been disputed and debate continues as to which crimes he actually committed.
Albert DeSalvo | |
|---|---|
DeSalvo after escaping Bridgewater State Hospital and being caught in Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1967 | |
| Born | Albert Henry DeSalvo September 3, 1931 Chelsea, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | November 25, 1973 (aged 42) Walpole, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Stabbing |
| Other names |
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| Criminal penalty | Life imprisonment |
| Details | |
| Victims | 1 (confirmed), 12 more (suspected) |
Span of crimes | June 14, 1962 – January 4, 1964 |
| Country | United States |
| State(s) | Massachusetts |
Date apprehended | October 27, 1964 |
In July 2013, DNA was matched between seminal fluid found at the rape and murder of Mary Sullivan and DNA obtained from DeSalvo's nephew, linking DeSalvo to the murder of Sullivan and excluding 99.9% of the remaining population. Authorities exhumed DeSalvo's remains later that month and confirmed the DNA match.
DeSalvo's crimes have been referenced in popular culture for decades. This includes multiple films depicting the case, such as The Boston Strangler (1968), in which DeSalvo is portrayed by Tony Curtis, and Boston Strangler (2023), in which DeSalvo is played by David Dastmalchian.